Reversible colter for two-way plows



1953 J. G. LINDEMAN REVERSIBLE COLTER FOR TWO-WAY PLOWS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed 001:. 7, 1950 INVENTOR.

JESSE G. LINDEMAN ay 5, 1953 .1. e. LINDEMAN 2,637,255

REVERSIBLE COLTER FOR TWO-WAY FLOWS Filed Oct. 7, 1950 3 Sheebs-Sheet 2FIG. 2

INVEN TOR.

JESSE G. LINDEMAN May 5, 1953 J. G. LINDEMAN 2,637,256

REVERSIBLE COLTER FOR TWO-WAY PLOWS Filed Oct. 7, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR. JESSE e. LINDEMAN TORNEYS Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STAESJesse G. Lindeman, Yakima, Wash., assignor to Deere & Company, Moline,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 7, 1950, Serial No.189,007

11 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements andmore particularly to two-way plows and the like.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provisionof a new and improved colter construction for two-way plows in which asingle colter unit is automatically reversible when the plow frame isreversed or changed from righthand plowing to left-hand plowing, or viceversa. More specifically, it is a feature of this invention to provide acolter construction including a pivoted colter frame which, carrying thecolter unit, swings by gravity, relative to the plow frame, when theplows are reversed, thereby eliminating complicated operatingmechanisms, latches and the like. An additional feature of thisinvention is the provision of a reversible colter construction which issimple and sturdy, and which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.Additionally, it is a feature of this invention to provide a colterconstruction for two-way plows in which a single colter is automaticallyreversible relative to the two-way plow means without any operatingconnections with the means or mechanisms which are utilized forreversing the plow structure. It is also a feature of the presentinvention to provide a new and improved colter construction in which thecolter disk is automatically given a lead toward the associated plowbottom which, operating in conjunction with an adjustable stop or thelike, serves to cause the colter to automatically move into the properposition relative to the associated plow bottom.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide an auxiliaryattachment for one-bottom, twoway plows to convert the same into atwo-bottom, two-way plow, the auxiliary attachment including its ownautomatically reversible colter construction whereby a single colterunit is automatically shifted, relative to the auxiliary plow bottoms,into operative position when the entire plow as a unit is reversed.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the major portion of a two-way plow of thetractor-carried type, in which the principles of the present inventionhave been incorporated, the plow shown in Figure 1 being adjusted orarranged so that the left-hand plow bottoms are in operating position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of theplow shown in Figure 1 showing particularly the novel colterconstruction and auxiliary frame means, for converting a one-bottom,two-way plow into a two-bottom, two-way plow, of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing certain details of thecolter construction in operating position for left-hand plowing.

Figure 4 is a front view of the colter construction shown in Figure 3,being a view taken generally along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figure 1, the principles ofthe present invention have been illustrated as incorporated in a two-Way plow of the type shown in my copending application, Serial No.605,256, filed July 16, 1945, now U. S. Patent 2,543,786, issued March6, 1951, to which reference may be made if necessary. Briefly, thetwo-way plow shown in the abovementioned co-pending patent comprises aplow frame I, including a generally fore-and-aft extending beam 2,mounted for rocking movement about a generally fore-and-aft extendingaxis and supported for such rocking movement in a framework 3 which isconnected to be supported and propelled by a farm tractor by upper andlower links 4 and 5, these links being also arranged to cooperate withlifting means (not shown) which raises and lowers the plow into and outof operating and transport positions. As more clearly disposed in theaforesaid patent, crank means 1 is fixed to the forward end of the beam2 and the plow frame I is automatically reversed by the raising andlowering of the links 4 and 5 through mechanism which includes areversing fork 6. The present invention is not particularly concernedwith the details per se of the raising and lowering and reversingmechanisms, since such are shown and claimed in the above-identifiedpatent. However, according to the principles of the present invention,means is provided for converting a two-way plow of the type shown in theabove-mentioned patent into a two-bottom, two-way plow, and such meanswill now be described.

Referring first to Figure 2, the present invention contemplates anauxiliary frame m which is made up of a main bar I l and two shorterbars I2 and 13, the main bar H including a forward section I5, which isapertured to receive the bolts 16, which, in the patented plowconstruction, secure the plow standard ll to the main frame bar 2, and agenerally diagonal, rearwardly extending bar section It which at itsrear end is con- 3, nected to a rear plow standard 2| that isconstructed and arranged to carry, at its ends, righthand and left-handplow bottoms 22 and 23, as best shown in Figure 1. The standard H of thepatented plow construction is similarly adapted to receive and supportrightand left-hand plow bottoms'24 and 25. The plow standard 2! may besubstantially identical with the plow stand ard l1, and having spacedapertures adapted to receive a set of attaching bolts which, in the caseof the plow standard 2|, are indicated in Figure 2 by the referencenumeral 2?. These bolts pass through apertures in the frame bar I 2 ofthe auxiliary frame It and rigidly secure the auxiliary plow standard 2;in position, certain of the bolts 27 being extended through apertures inthe rear end of the diagonal bar section it. The left end of the frame,bar I3 is bolted, as at 28, to the diagonal bar section It, and theforward end of the main bar section l5 and the lateral bar I3 isreenforced by an auxiliary beam 34 which, at its forward end, carries aplate 32 welded thereto, the rear end of the auxiliary beam 3| beingextended into and secured to the plow standard in substantially the sameWay that the rear end of the main plow beam 2 is received by and fixedto the plow standard I! of the patented one-bottom, two-way plowconstruction. A bracket 34 is apertured to receive a pair of bolts 35,which connect the plate 32 to the bracket 34, the inner end of thebracket 3 being turned rearwardly and apertured to receive the forwardpair of bolts It that fix the plow standard I! to the rear end of theplow beam 2. Thus, whenever it is desired to convert the onebottom,two-way patented plow into a twobottom, two-way plow, all that it isnecessary to'do is to remove the nuts from the bolts I 5 and install theauxiliary frame It and the associated plow standard 2! and plow bottoms22 and 23, both sets of plow bottoms then being reversible from oneposition to the other by a reversal of the main plow beam or frame I.

The patented one-bottom, two-way plow includes an automaticallyreversible single colter construction indicated generally by thereference numeral which cooperates with the forward bottoms 26 and 25,but when the auxiliary frame It and associated plow bottoms 22 and 23are added to the plow i, it is necessary to provide an auxiliary colterconstruction to cooperate with the plow bottoms 22 and 23. Such colterconstruction will now be described. I

The bracket 34 is extended, as at 4|, to provide an apertured section152 which is in axial alinement with an aperture 53 (Figure 2) formed inthe outer portion of the frame bar N. A colter frame comprising a pairof laterally spaced, generally fore-and-aft extending bars Q6 and 47 anda pair of front and rear studs 48 and $9, is mounted for rockingmovement in the apertures 42 and 43. The forward portion of the frame t5carries a vertical sleeve section 5| in which the vertical portion 52 ofa colter shank 53 is disposed for swinging movement about a generallyvertical axis. The lower portion of the colter shank 53 includes a pairof laterally spaced, generally rearwardly and downwardly extending bars54 and 55 that, at their lower ends carry suitable bearing means onwhich a rolling colter disk 56 is mounted for rotation, generally intrailing relation with respect to the vertical axis defined by the uppersection 52 of the colter shank 53. Fixed to the colter shank section 52is a clamp collar 58 that is disposed in slots 59 formed in the forwardends of the colter frame plates 46 and 41, the colter clamp 58 includingapertured ears GI and a clamping bolt 62 which, when tightened, fixedlyconnects the clamp 58 to the colter shank section 52. The clamping bolt62 may be loosened to permit raising or lowering the colter shank '53relative to the clamping collar 59. An arm 64 is secured, as by welding,to the clamp 58 and includes an upwardly extending apertured section (55that is disposed ahead of and in substantial alinement with the stud 58of the colter frame 45, and a spring 67 is anchored at its inner end, asby a clip 68, to the bracket 34, and, at its other end is connected by aclip 69 to the arm 64, the clip 69 being apertured to receive a pivotpin II that extends through the aperture in the arm extension 65 andthrough an aperture in the clamp 69, the pivot pin H having a loose fitin the associated parts.

The lower forward portions of the colter frame plates 46 and 41 areformed with forwardly flaring portions and 16 that are connected by ashort bar section Ti. The forwardly flaring portions 15 and it serve asstops for cooperation with the arm 64 that is fixed to the colter shank53. These colter frame sections 15 and 16 are also adapted to cooperatewith a pair of stops in the form of cap screws is and i9 carried by theupper and lower portions of a bracket 8! that is welded to the outer endportion 4| of the bracket 34. Lock nuts '82 serve to fix the cap screws38 and 79 in any desired position of adjustment. The clip 58 is fixed tothe bracket 34 by a bolt 84, and the position of the clip 68 may beadjusted relative to the bracket 34 by virtue of a slot formed in theclip 68 to receive the bolt 84.

As mentioned above, by connecting the auxiliary frame it, together withthe auxiliary standard 2| and auxiliary plow bottoms 22 and 23, to thebeam 2 of the one-bottom, two-way plow I, the latter may be convertedeasily and conveniently into a two-bottom, two way plow. Also, thecolter construction described above is connectible to and disconnectiblefrom the plow l with the auxiliary attachment frame It. The colterconstruction, which forms the principal portion of the presentinvention, does not require any connection with the operating mechanismof the plow l but is automatically reversible, relative to the auxiliaryframe Hi, Whenever the plows are reversed, as by swinging the main plowbeam 2 about its axis in the frame structure 3.

As will best be seen from Figure 2, the tension of the spring 5'! actsthrough the arm 64 to swing the colter shank 53 into a position to givethe colter disk 56 a lead toward the associated plow bottom 23. As aresult of this arrangement, as soon as the plow 23 and the colter disk55 start to enter the ground, the colter disk 56 is caused, by virtue ofits lead toward the associated plow bottom, to swing laterally inwardlyand. into a substantially directly rearwardly trailing relation,substantially into the position shown in Figure 3, the frame 45 swingingabout the foreand-aft extending axis defined by the studs 43 and 49 and,simultaneously therewith, the colter shank 53 swinging about itsvertical axis as defined by the vertical section 52 until the associatedcolter frame section 16 comes into engagement with the associated stopmember 19, as shown in Figure 4. Since the spring 67 is connected,through the pivot II, with the arm 64 substantially in line with theaxis of swinging of the colter frame 45, any tension in the spring 61,caused by the colter disk being swung into a rearwardly trailingrelation, does appreciably affect the position of the colter frame d5.

When the main frame of the plow is reversed, as by swinging the frameabout its fore-and-aft extending axis to bring the other bottoms intooperating position, the colter and colter frame 45 swing relative to theplow frame under the action of gravity, since the colter disk 5'6 andmajor portion of the colter shank 53 lie below the axis defined by thestuds 48 and 49. As a result of this arrangement, the colter disk 58remains in contact with the ground, unless the plows are raised intotheir transport position, and is therefore ready to cooperate with theother plow bottom. In its other position relative to the frame it], thecolter frame 45 swings toward the other stop member 18, the lower flaredportion 15 of the colter frame 65 then contacting the stop member '18 todetermine the position of the colter frame relative to the plow bottomnow in operating position. If desired, the connection between the spring67 and the arm fi l may be made at a point slightly above the axis ofswinging of the colter frame 45 in the auxiliary plow frame Hi, thisbeing the construction illustrated in Figure 4. This arrangement has theadvantage that the tension in the spring 61 has a slight tendency toswing the colter disk 58 outwardly away from the associated plow bottombut not with sufficient force to affect the inward swinging of thecolter 56 when it is in the ground. However, with the tendency to swingoutwardly, as just mentioned,

the colter disk 56 and associated parts remain in depending relation asthe plow frame H! is re versed, the spring 61 thus ensuring that therewill be no appreciable tendency for the colter 56 to SWlIlg with theplow frame ill, rather than remaining in the lowermost position inreadiness to cooperate with the other plow bottom. When the plow frameis reversed, carrying with it the bracket 34 and the spring ill, thelatter acts in each position to swing the arm 64 so as to impart aninward lead to the colter disk 5%, thus causing it to swing inwardlytoward the associated plow bottom.

While I have shown and described above the preferred structure in whichthe principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it

is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to theparticular details shown and described above, but that, in fact, widelydifierent means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspectsof my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a plow having a plow bottom and a frame on which said plow bottomis mounted, the improvement comprising a colter including a colter diskand a generally vertically extending shank to the lower end of whichsaid disk is rotatably connected, a colter frame in which the upper endof said colter shank is journaled for rocking movement about a generallyvertical axis, means connecting said colter frame with said plow framefor movement relative to the latter about a generally horizontal axis,spring means acting against said colter shank for swinging the latterabout said vertical axis so as to tend to cause the colter to have alead toward the associated plow bottom, and adjustable means carried bysaid plow frame for limiting the inward swinging of said colter frameand shank about said horizontal axis.

2. In a plow including a frame and a plow bottom carried thereby, acolter construction comprising a colter frame, means for connecting saidcolter frame with the plow frame for relatively free swinging movementrelative to the latter about a generally fore-and-aft extendinghorizontal axis through substantially a colter disk, a colter shank onwhich said disk is rotatably mounted, said shank including a verticallyextending portion, means for connecting the vertical portion of saidcolter shank with said colter frame for accommodating rotation of saidcolter shank relative to said colter frame about a generally verticalaxis, said colter shank being constructed so that the colter diskoccupies a trailing position relative to the vertical axis defined bysaid colter shank, and means for limiting the movement of said colterframe about said horizontal axis at each end of said substantially 180movement.

3. A colter support for an implement including a frame and a plow bottomcarried thereby, said colter support comprising a pair of bracketsattachable to said frame in generally fore-andaft spaced relation, acolter frame adapted to be pivotally mounted on said brackets forlateral swinging about a generally horizontal fore-andaft extendingaxis, a colter disk, a colter shank rotatably receiving said colter diskand mounted for rocking movement about a generally vertical axis in saidcolter frame, and spring means acting between said colter shank and oneof said brackets for yieldably swinging said colter shank and saidcolter frame into a given position relative to said plow frame means.

4. A colter support for an implement including a frame and a plow bottomcarried thereby, said colter support comprising a pair of bracketsattachable to said frame in generally fore-and-aft spaced relation, acolter frame adapted to be pivotally mounted on said brackets forlateral swinging about a generally horizontal fore-andaft extendingaxis, a colter disk, a colter shank rotatably receiving said colter diskand mounted for rocking movement about a generally vertical axis in saidcolter frame, an arm fixed to said colter shank at a point below theaxis of rocking movement of said colter frame, spring means actingbetween the outer end of said arm and one of said brackets for swingingsaid colter disk and said shank relative to said colter frame, means forlimiting the movement of said arm relative to said colter frame, andmeans for limiting the rocking of said colter frame relative to one ofsaid brackets.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4, further characterized by saidlast mentioned motionlimiting means comprising an arm on one of saidbrackets, a part adjustably carried by said last mentioned am andcooperating abutment means on said colter frame.

6. A two-way plow comprising frame means, a pair of generally oppositelydisposed plow bottoms carried by said frame means in generally fixedrelation with respect thereto, means for swinging said frame means abouta generally horizontal fore-and-aft extending axis so as to swing one ofsaid plow bottoms into an operating position and the other plow bottominto a transport position, a colter frame support carried by said framemeans adjacent said plow bottoms, a colter frame pivotally mounted insaid support and swingable about a generally fore-and-aft extendingaxis, a ground-engaging colter carried by said colter frame in aposition generally below said fore-and a'ft "extending colter frameaxis, whereby said colter remains substantially in its grotmd-engagingposition when the plow frame means is swung from one position to anotherto reverse the low bottoms, means acting against said colter forimparting thereto a lead toward the plow bottom in operating position,and means acting against said colter frame for limit ing the; laterallyinward swinging of the colter relative to the associated plow bottom.

7. In a two-way plow including frame means and a pair of generallyoppositely mounted plow bottoms, said frame means being mounted forrotation about a generally iore-and-aft extending horizontal axis so asto swing said plow bottoms between operating and non-operatingpositions, bracket means attachable to said frame means, a coltersupport carried by said bracket means for rotation about a generallyfore-andaft extending horizontal axis, and a groundengaging coltercarried by said colter frame in such a position that the colter swingsby gravity, relative to the plow frame, when the latter is reversed, soas to remain in operative groundengaging position when the plow bottomsare reversed by swinging the plow frame about its fore-and-aft extendingaxis.

8. In a twoway plow including frame means and a pair of oppositelymounted plow bottoms carried thereby, said frame means being mounted forrotation about a generally fore-and-aft extending horizontal axis, acolter construction comprising bracket means attachable to said plowframe, a colter frame rotatably mounted on said bracket means formovement relative to the frame means about a generally fore-and-aftextending horizontal axis, means on said bracket means for limiting theswinging movement of said colter frame about its axis relative to saidbracket means, a colter, a colter shank pivotally mounted in said colterframe for movement relative thereto about a vertical axis, stop meanslimiting the movement of said colter shank, and spring means actingbetween said bracket means and said colter shank for swinging the latterso as: to impart thereto a lead tending to cause the colter to runtoward the adjacent plow bottom.

9. The; invention set forth in claim 8, further characterized by an armfixed to said colter shank and extending forwardly therefrom, and aspring connected at one end with said arm and at the other end with saidadjacent portion of said bracket means.

10. The invention set forth in claim 9, further characterized by saidspring being connected with said arm substantially on the axis ofswinging of said colter frame in said bracket means, said springconnection being established by means rotatable relative to theassociated arm, whereby the swinging of the colter under the action ofgravity when the plow fram is reversed is substantially unhampered bythe action of the spring against the associated arm.

11. In a one-bottom, two-way plow, auxiliary frame means attachable tosaid one-bottom, twoway plow, a pair of oppositely disposed plow bottomsfixed to said auxiliary frame and 00- operating with the plows of saidone-bottom. two-way plow to transform the latter into a twobottom,two-way plow, a bracket carried by said auxiliary frame, a colter framerotatably mounted in said bracket for movement relative thereto to abouta generally fore-and-aft extending axis, and a colter unit carried bysaid colter frame and swingabie with the latter relative to saidauxiliary frame into a position adjacent one or the other of saidauxiliary plow bottoms.

JESSE G. LINDEMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 204,484 Daniel June 4, 1878 469,756 Strait Mar. 1, 1892FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 380,535 Germany Sept. 10, 1923

